Humidifier



Jan. 16, 1934. c. c. EMERSON HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 24, 1930 INVENTOR.

Clifford CiEmeI-son.

.flrrofiwsr.

Patented Jan. 16, 1934 i'TED STATS PATENT OFFIE My present invention relates to the conditioning of air in dwellings, ofiices and the like for which usual humidifying installations are either not adapted or inadequate. The great difficulty in such humidification lies in the necessity of evaporating the very considerable amounts. of water needed, especially where artificial heating is present and so doing with the relatively low temperatures of most room heaters and without resort to complicated mechanical devices such as are required to make up such a deficiency.

My invention contemplates the utilization of certain principles by reason of which a rapid evaporation is effected and contemplates installations which are adapted to combine and cooperate with such heating devices as are usually available.

Among the various features hereinafter to be pointed out is that of surface evaporation as from a relatively long shallow pan by a heating circuit which may be connected with any available source of heat as for example, a radiator, by reason-of which temperatures are attained in the watering tank sufiiciently high to effect a rapid evaporation into an air current moving in an opposite direction to that of the water circulation, said air current being a warm and dry air current which may be taken, as for example, from the warm air column arising from the radiator and conducted across the surface of the water in the pan.

As illustrative of the principle of my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawing char-- acteristic installations which appear in the figures of the drawing as follows:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a typical radiator equipment.

Fig. 2 a fragmentary end view of the same.

Fig. 3 a floor installation in partial section,

Fig. 4 an end view of the casing of Fig: 3, and

Fig. 5 shows a further modification.

In apparatus in accordance with my invention I provide an elongated casing comprising a bottom 1 side and end walls 2 and 3 and a top 4. The bottom 1 terminates shortof one end in a transverse wall or partition 5 which defines within the casing a shallow evaporation tank 10. Beyond this partition 5 the casing bottom is open as at 6 to admit an air current and at the opposite end the casing top is provided with an outlet 7 from which the moisture laden air can escape after it has passed over the surface of water in the tank. The tank 10 is provided with a pipe circuit having its inlet at 8 and its outlet at 9. In this circuit is included a coil 12 contained in a heating casing 13.

In the installation shown in Fig. 1 the apparatus is mounted on a radiator top and the easing 13 is shown as connected by a pipe 14 to the base of the radiator. This may be very conveniently done by utilizing the usual base plug aperture. In a steam system it is only necessary to provide an exhaust valve or vent 15 for the casing 13. In a hot water system the casing 13 can be connected in the circuit.

The pan circuit not only keeps the water hot but maintains a movement of the water in the pan itself so that there is a circulation of the water in a direction opposite to the movement of the air over the water. In this way I am able to get a very rapid evaporation and mixing of the air and vapor without having actually to boil the water.

In fact, by utilizing the normal rise of hot dry air from a radiator R through the overhanging inlet 6 and the shield 19 and a circulation maintaining a tank temperature of only 190 F. I can maintain the desired humidification without having to resort to fans or agitators. The tank 10 may be automatically fed by a water supply 16 controlled by a valve 1'7 regulated by a ball float 18. a a

In the form of installation shown in Fig. 3 the casing 20 is set below the level F and the air taken in at 21 and discharged as at 22. By 10- cating the discharge below a radiator R the natural draft of the air column at the radiator is sufficient to induce the flow of air through the humidifier entering at 21 passing over the heated water in the casing 20 and being carried off through the discharge 22.

The tank may be fed as in Fig. 1 by a supply 16 to a valve 1'7 controlled by a float 18. In such an installation the circulation is through an inlet 8 and an outlet 9 of a circuit having a coil in the casing 13.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 I have indicated a steam or other heat supply at 23 controlled at a valve 24 by a regulator 25 thermally connected as at 26 to the reservoir in the casing 20.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the radiator content is utilized to heat the water in the pan 10. For this purpose I locate within the radiator a heating element, as a coil 27 which is piped through the pan at 8 and 9 as in the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

In the various installations possible under my invention the evaporation system may be variously installed or combined, and may be adapted to the heating apparatus present or intended to be installed. Y

For example, my humidifier may be applied to a steam heating system, a vapor system, a hot water system connected through a heating element in the fire box, or to a gas or electric hot water heater.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a humidifying system, a heat source, a covered casing disposed above said heat source and having top, bottom, side and end walls, said bottom having an upturned flange defining with said side walls a water compartment and providing with the end wall .distant from the air outlet a hot air inlet, whereby hot air rising from said heat source is guided over said water chamber and means passing a current of water through said compartment in opposite direction to the current of air passing over said water to said air outlet.

2. A humidifier comprising a casing adapted to be mounted over a heat source and including top, bottom, side and end walls, said bottom wall terminating inwardly of said top wall, and a panel extending upwardly from said bottom and defining with said bottom and one of said end walls an open topped water compartment, the other end wall being spaced from said panel and defining with said panel and the sides a hot air inlet,-the top of said casing at the end distant from said air inlet havingan air outlet above said water compartment so that air entering through said inlet will pass over said water compartment before leaving through said air outlet.

CLIFFORD c. EMERSON. 

